The present invention relates to a delivery catheter for guiding an elongated medical device to an internal bodily target site. More particularly, it relates to a delivery catheter forming a distal locator for locating the target site prior to deployment of an intra-bodily medical device.
A wide variety of medical procedures are performed at or within internal bodily vessels, channels, canals, or chambers. Due to the particular procedure and/or to minimize patient trauma, oftentimes the medical device useful for performing part or all of the procedure is introduced through a small incision into the bodily vessel, channel, canal, or chamber in question; or into a bodily vessel, channel, canal, or chamber that is otherwise connected to the site of interest (or target site), and then guided through that vessel to the target site. These types of medical devices are referred to herein generally as xe2x80x9cintra-bodily medical devicesxe2x80x9d. For example, angioplasty procedures used to reduce arterial build-up include introducing a balloon-carrying catheter into a body vessel, such as a coronary artery, and maneuvering the catheter through the vessel to the target site. Similarly, one treatment of cardiac arrhythmia includes directing an ablation catheter through the inferior vena cava into the right atrium through a puncture in the interarterial septum and into the left atrium at which electrical isolation of a particular pulmonary vein can be achieved. A number of other medical procedures employ these same general protocols.
Regardless of the exact medical procedure, construction and operation of the requisite intra-bodily medical device typically requires that a separate guide device be employed to direct a distal segment (at which the operational portion of the intra-bodily medical device is typically located) to the target site. In other words, the particular intra-bodily medical device may not have sufficient rigidity to be easily advanced through body vessels, channels, canals, chambers, etc., and/or the distal segment might damage bodily tissue if left exposed during deployment to the target site. Thus, a guide catheter or sheath that coaxially maintains the intra-bodily medical device is normally employed to proficiently deliver the intra-bodily medical device, and in particular the distal segment thereof, to the target site. Following delivery of the guide catheter or sheath to the target site, the intra-bodily medical device is advanced distally or deployed to the target site through the guide catheter or sheath.
In addition, it is often times necessary to accurately locate the target site to ensure proper positioning of the distal end of intra-bodily medical device following deployment from the guide catheter or sheath. In this regard, the standard technique for locating a particular internal bodily site is use of a thin guide wire. The guide wire may be slidably disposed within a lumen formed by the intra-bodily medical device, or may be maintained by the guide catheter or sheath. In either case, the guide wire is relatively rigid and is xe2x80x9csteeredxe2x80x9d by the surgeon to locate the target site. Once located, the intra-bodily medical device can then be deployed and accurately positioned.
While universally accepted, use of a guide wire to assist in locating a target site does have potential drawbacks. For example, because the guide wire is a component apart from the intra-bodily medical device and guide catheter or sheath, the opportunity for one of these components interfering with movement and/or operation of the other components is raised. Additionally, though guide wires are relative stiff, it is often times difficult to maneuver the distal end thereof to a desired location, especially at increased guide wire lengths and/or within relative confined areas.
A wide variety of intra-bodily medical devices are used to access and perform medical procedures on internal bodily sites. To this end, the accepted protocol of providing a separate guide body or sheath to deliver the intra-bodily medical device to the target site, as well as a separate guide wire for locating the target site is less than optimal. Therefore, a need exists for a unitary delivery catheter having a locator configured to assist in locating a target site.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a delivery catheter for delivering an intra-bodily medical device to an internal bodily site. The delivery catheter includes an elongated shaft defining a proximal section and a distal section. A delivery lumen is formed by the shaft, extending from the proximal section and terminating at an opening formed proximal the distal section. Finally, a locator is formed by the distal section, and is configured to locate a target site. In one preferred embodiment, the locator is elongated, having a diameter less than that of a remainder of the shaft. In another preferred embodiment, the delivery catheter includes a steering device capable of effectuating a bend both proximal and distal the opening for steering the locator to a target site.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a catheter assembly for performing a medical procedure within an internal bodily site. The catheter assembly includes an intra-bodily medical device and a delivery catheter. The intra-bodily medical device has a distal end and is configured to perform a medical procedure. In this regard, a wide variety of intra-bodily medical devices are available, ranging from ablation catheter devices to angioplasty, fiber optics, basket catheters, etc. Regardless, the delivery catheter comprises an elongated shaft defining a proximal section and a distal section. A delivery lumen is formed by the shaft, extending from the proximal section and terminating at an opening proximal the distal section. In this regard, the delivery lumen is sized to slidably receive the intra-bodily medical device. Finally, a locator is formed by the distal section and is configured to locate a target site. With this configuration in mind, the intra-bodily medical device is slidably disposed within the delivery lumen, and is moveable between a retracted position in which the distal end of the intra-bodily medical device is proximal of the opening and a deployed position in which the distal end is distal the opening. During use, the delivery catheter guides the intra-bodily medical device, in the retracted position, to a target site. The locator is employed to locate the target site. Finally, the intra-bodily medical device is maneuvered to the deployed position to perform a medical procedure.
Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of deploying an intra-bodily medical device to an internal bodily target site. The method includes providing a delivery catheter including an elongated shaft having a proximal section, an intermediate section, a distal locator, and a delivery lumen. The delivery lumen extends from the proximal section to an opening formed proximal the distal locator. An intra-bodily medical device having a distal end is also provided. The delivery catheter is deployed so as to position the distal locator adjacent the target site. The target site is located with the distal locator. The elongated medical device is advanced in a distal fashion within the delivery lumen such that the distal end is deployed distally beyond the opening for performing a medical procedure on the target site. Finally, the intra-bodily medical device is retracted in a proximal fashion within the delivery lumen such that the distal end is retracted proximal the opening.